Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2 is scratching my Knight of the Seven Kingdoms itch

With the first season of A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms racing like a tournament jouster toward its final episode, I find myself pining for the days when popular TV series were often spun into video game adaptations. Rushed to release while their source material was still relevant, these licensed entries usually weren't great, but they did allow fans to engage with their favorite fictional characters while waiting for the next TV season to drop. I still credit 2008's just fine Lost: Via Domus with satisfying my Oceanic 6 fix between the popular drama's 4th and 5th seasons.

So yes, following A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms' absolutely epic episode 5 – and knowing we'll be waiting at least a year for the series to return following its finale – I'd jump at the chance to play even a janky game that put me under the helmet of the titular hedge knight. Hell, I'd even take a cozy crafting sim spin-off, so long as it allowed me to cook and eat those drool-inducing breakfast sandwiches from episode 3.

But alas, with free-to-play mobile strategy sim Game of Thrones: Conquest – which has added some A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms content – failing to scratch my Dunk and Egg itch, I find myself returning to the comforting embrace of last year's excellent Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2. And, if I squint just a little, Warhorse Studios' acclaimed RPG succeeds surprisingly well at making me feel like I'm back in rural Westeros adventuring with Ser Duncan the Tall.

Crossing swords

The two stories star similar protagonists. Dunk and Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2's Henry of Skalitz come from humble beginnings – while both were raised by adoptive father figures and had difficult childhoods, they are destined for great things. More than that though, while they both honor their modest roots, they also crave acceptance, recognition, and respect.

Shortly after Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2's prologue, when Henry finds himself severely injured, fresh out of a pillory, and attempting to appeal to a nomad girl for help finding armor, I couldn't help but recall Dunk's early struggles. Especially his desperate quest to be recognized as a knight and assemble a crew to fight alongside him in the Ashford tournament.

Both characters spend a good chunk of their early stories just trying to find – or, in Henry's case, regain – their footing. Of course, once they do begin to get back on their feet, both literally and figuratively, the heroes' blade-wielding abilities are hard not to compare.

Unfolding from an immersive first-person perspective, Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2's sword combat is weighty, impactful, and visceral as hell. In other words, if you're seeking interactive swordplay that comes close to evoking the absolutely brutal steel-clashing, skull-crushing Trial of Seven scene from the show, you'll want to unsheath Henry's weapon and start swinging.

Chasing A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms' bone-crunching encounters further eventually led me to Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2's take on the Czech Republic's real-life city of Kuttenberg.

Serving as one of the RPG's central maps, the bustling locale is packed with optional activities, including, yes, a messy medieval tourney that could be on the same circuit as Ashford Meadow's competitive bloodbath.

While Kuttenberg's version sadly doesn't allow me to rearrange opponents' ribcages from behind a lance, it does shine the spotlight on the aforementioned swordplay. And, save for Egg not cheering me on in the stands, it totally fulfilled my Ashford tourney fantasies. It doesn't hurt that the armor-cracking melees are accompanied by plenty of immersive effects, from wood shields splintering and dirt soaked in blood to the sound of the combatants' labored grunts, cries, and reactive expletives.

The heart-pounding action also takes place inside a paddock – much smaller, but otherwise similar to the Trial of Seven's – adorned with medieval banners and flags, and surrounded by engaged spectators. The game's tournament also includes a "free combat" option, in which you can choose your own armor and blade. Preparing to test Henry's mettle in this mode especially made me feel like Dunk, readying his gear – and courage – before his showdown with Aerion Targaryen.

A clash of titans

While the above similarities between Henry and Dunk are the most obvious, I rarely walked more than a few feet in the former's boots without recalling something about the latter or his gritty world.

Whether I was having my shield painted by a local artist, indulging in too many pints of ale, attempting to navigate an awkward conversation with a villager, or digging a shallow grave – not unlike the one Dunk digs for Ser Arlan of Pennytree – I frequently felt like I was almost playing A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms: The Game.

A more subtle, albeit equally effective, element is the game's grounded, gritty world. Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2 is not another high fantasy romp filled with magic spells and mythical monsters – two genre staples the latest Game of Thrones' prequel has also abandoned – but an authentic, absorbing universe that feels lived in much like the series' Ashford Meadow and Flea Bottom.

And on the topic of realism, neither the game nor show shy away from showcasing the more undignified side of being a knight. On top of getting as drunk as Dunk, Henry washes his dirty face in a water trough, eats food that's long left its expiration date, has excrement thrown at him, and even lets the bodily functions fly on occasion.

So, even if you're not in it for the undeniable character and combat parallels – and your favorite moments from the series include Dunk's anxiety-induced bout of diarrhea or the tourney spectator ripping an epic fart – well, Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2 surprisingly has you covered there as well.

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